Cruz says he would filibuster to defund Obamacare

The Daily Caller ^ | 9-19-2013 | Alexis Levinson

[servo1969]

WASHINGTON — Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said Thursday that he would use any means necessary, including a filibuster, to help ensure passage of a continuing resolution that defunds Obamacare.

“I will do everything necessary and anything possible to defund Obamacare,” Cruz said at a press conference with House Republicans on the CR that the House is set to pass Friday that continues to fund the government through the end of the year and defunds Obamacare.

Asked if he would filibuster, Cruz said he would use “any procedural means necessary.”

Cruz drew fire Thursday, after the House plan was announced, for suggesting that there was no chance the bill would get through in the Democratic controlled Senate.

“Harry Reid will no doubt try to strip the defund language from the continuing resolution, and right now he likely has the votes to do so,” Cruz said in a statement Thursday. “At that point, House Republicans must stand firm, hold their ground, and continue to listen to the American people.”

Several House Republicans accused him of giving up the fight, but Cruz deflected questions about that criticism Thursday, saying, “it is very easy in Washignton to make this about personalities, to make this about people. This is not about any of us, this is about the American people.”

[nikos1121]

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Smith-Goes-To-Washington/dp/B002VZNZD6/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1379788505&sr=1-1&keywords=mr+smith+goes+to+washington

[FR_addict]

“I wish they would filibuster and read it. However...
‘At 200 words per minute, the Obamacare Regulations would take 180 hours to read. That’s seven and a half days of non-stop reading; it’s four and a half 40-hour business weeks.’
from http://obamacarewatcher.org/articles/350
He’s going to need some helpers!”

The longest filibuster by a lone Senator went to Strum Thurmond, but evidently a team of Senators were able to filibuster for 57 days. They can read the bill 8 times and break the record!

http://www.policymic.com/articles/28858/5-longest-filibusters-in-u-s-senate-history

“Thurmond was not the only lawmaker to filibuster on the issue, however. According to Senate records, teams of senators consumed 57 days filibustering between March 26 and June 19, the day the Civil Rights Act of 1957 passed.”